Identification band



A. POKRAS IDENTIFICATION BAND Filed May 15, 1958l Nov. 10, 1959 United States Patent Ofi 2,911,743 Patented Nqvv. 1o, 195s ice IDENTIFICATION BAND Adolph Pokras, Thiensville, Wis., assignor to Will Ross, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 15,1958, Serial No.-.35,623`

' Y 's claims. (c1. 40-21) This invention relates to identification devices useful for civilian defense purposes, in girls and boys camps, jails and other institutions, but especially in hospitals, and has more particular reference to an identification device in the form of a band which may have its opposite ends connected to form a bracelet encircling a limb of a hospitalized person, the band having provision to receive and hold a card with information and/or indicia thereon to identify the hospitalized person.

Despite the fact that identification bands or bracelets of several types are presently in use or available,A no one heretofore has succeeded in providing a completely satisfactory identification bracelet.

Some are objectionable because their attachment to the limb of a person involves several tedious and time consuming steps during which special tools are usually required to effect clinching or riveting of the ends of the band together in a more or less lpermanent fashion. Other identification bands are objectionable by reason of insufficiently secure fastening -means and inadequate strength in the band itself to assure against conscious or unconscious removal of the bracelet by the person Wearing the same.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an identication band which has none of the objections outlined above, and which features easily closed and exceptionally secure fastening means by which its ends may be joined together entirely without the use of tools to form a bracelet encircling the limb of a hospitalized person, ease of adjustability for size so that it does not need to be measured and cut to fit, sufficient strength in the band itself to assure againsteither accidental or intentional tearing of the band, and finally, assurance against displacement of the card or other identifying Y marker accommodated by the band. v -Y In the case ofidentification bracelets for children and for mentally ill or deranged patients in particular, it is important that'the bracelet have no lose or dangling' parts or portions which the wearer will be tempted to pull on and by which the device may be unfastened or torn. With this in mind, it is a particular object of the present invention to provide an identification bracelet of the character described having no loose or dangling parts, no parts which can be readily pried apart with the fingernails, and no portions which can be readily torn, and which is therefore particularly well adapted for use on patients who might be inclined to try to unfasten or tear an identification device.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly delned by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

Theaccompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according tothe best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in' which: v

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the identification band of thisy invention, showing an identification marker or card being inserted into the pocket with which the band is provided; l Y' Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the vband showing the same with its ends secured together to form a bracelet, and with van identification card or marker in place in the pocket on the band; l j l' Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectonalviewtak'en through Figure 2 along the plane of the line 3-3, illustrating the fastening means for securing the ends of the l*band together; and Y Figure 4 is a cross sectional View, taken through Fig ure 2 along the plane of the line 4-4. p Y' Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters have been applied to like parts throughout the several views, it will be seen that the identification band of this inventiongenerally comprises an elongated strip 5 of flexible material, preferably a plastic of a type that has exceptionally good resistance to tearing vwhen vsubjected to tension stresses.` A substantial length of the band at one end portion thereof is widened to form one side wall 6 of an elongated pocket generallydesignated 7. The other side wall of the pocket is provided by a strip of transparent plastic material 8. The strip 8 serves as the'top wall of the pocket when the band is in use, and it has slightly less width than the bottom wall 6 of the pocket.

The. transparent strip 8 is secured to the wider wall 6 of the pocket along-all of the marginal edges thereof by bondedfjoints 10 which'are formed by applying heat and pressure in va' well known manner to' the marginal edge portions of the wall member 8 and the underlying portions of wall 6. v

The mouth of the pocket is defined by a slot-like apar-- ture 12 in the top wall of the pocket, extending transversely thereacross near the end of the band having the pocket 7. Through this opening a card or the 1ike,'con taining identifying data, may be inserted into the pocket, and the opposite end portion of the bandmay `alsobe inserted into the pocket. The end -portions of the -slotlike aperture are rounded, as at` 13, so that no. centers of stress can develop and so thatino tear or rip can start at the ends of the aperture, even though various stresses and strains of substantial magnitude may be applied to marginal edge portions of the wall 8 around the aperture.

It is important to note that sincethe transparent top wall 8 of the pocket is slightly narrower in its transverse dimension than the bottom wall 6 of the pocket,V it will hold the wider bottomlwall of the pocket in -a bowed condition of outward transverse convexity as seen best in Figure 4. This is desirable not only from the standpoint of comfort to the wearer, but also by reason of the fact that it facilitates insertion of an identification card that the pocket 7 is wide enough to not only receive the' identification card 14 but also a length of the opposite end portion of the band.

It is one of the features of this invention that'the opposite end portions of the band mayv be Asecurely fastened,

together entirely without the use of tools and without preliminary measuring and cutting the band to the size of the limb to be encircled thereby. For this purpose the narrow end portion ofthe band is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced holes-17, any oneof which is cooperable witha fastening device 18 on the pocket 7 to join the ends of the bands.

The fastening device18 comprises cooperating male andv female snap` fasteners 19 and 20, respectively, secured to the bottom and top walls 6 and 8 of the pocket near its mouth, and at the side of the aperture 12 remote from-,the adjacent end of the band. The female fastener 20, which is permanently secured to the transparent wall 8 of the pocket, has a hole `21therethrough of a size to tightly-receive a button 2,2 on the male element,1,9,vit ,being understood thatthe male element is permanently secured to the wall 6 on the underside of the pocket. The holes 17 in the narrow end portion of theband are of a size to freely accommodate the button 22 on the male fastening element, and the latter is adapted to be projected through one of these holes when the band is formed into a bracelet, with its apertured end portion projecting through the aperture 12 and into the pocket.

Because thetran'sparent wall member 8 is secured to the underlying band portion around all of its edges, there are no loose ends or edges of said wall member at which the wearer of the bracelet can pluck orpull. Moreover, the apertured end of `the band, being tucked into the pocket, is also inaccessible to him, and the edges of the aperture 12 lie closely againstV the band portion which projects therethrough, with no tendency to gape. Even if the wearer of the bracelet picks at the edges `of the aperture 12, the rounded end portions thereof will minimize any possibility that he can start a tear orrip by his exertions.

The best assurance against e1the 1 conscious or unconscious opening of the snap fastener is had when the button 22 on 'the male element ts quite tightly in the aperture 21 in the female element, and while it preferably requires the application of considerable pressure thereto, it should be capable of manual closure, .by nger pressure, so as to obviate the use of tools. Closure ofthe fastener 18 not only guards against displacement of=the identification card 14V from the pocket, but, as stated; previously, also enables the .opposite ends of the 'band to be joined in a manner providing maximum assurance against opening ofthe bracelet formed thereby once it has been securedto-tlie limbof a hospitalized person. In fact, it is recommended that Ythe band be cut with a scissors when `the bracelet isl to be removed from the limb of ,the patient.

When it is desired `to secure theband about the wrist or ankle=.of a hospitalized person,` the band is wrapped around the desired limhwiththe transparent wall 8 of the pocket outermost and the convexly curved bottom wall o`f .the'pocket4 against the-limb. A length of the apertured end portion of` the'band is then inserted into the pocket through themouth *12' thereof to. a distance such ,asto bring ythe band into vmore or less snug encircling relationship with the limb ,and to align one of the holes 17 inthe band with the button 22 on the male pocket are nearly flush with the pocket walls and provide little or no surface which can be grasped by the person wearing the bracelet in a conscious or unconscious attempt to open the fastener.

fit will also be seen that the pocket 7 has sufficient length so as to not only accommodate a suitable identification card 14 containing all o'f the necessary information per taining to thehospitalized person, but to also accommodate a substantial length of the apertured end portion of the band, if necessary, thus enabling the band to be adjusted to form a bracelet of any of a Wide variety of sizes. inasmuch as the apertured en d portion of the band is inserted under the identification card, it not only leaves the entire card readily visible through the transparent wall 8 of the pocket, but the card itself serves to hide that end portion of the band which is disposed in the pocket inwardly of the snap fastener. The line of perforations 16 on the ca'rd is preferably so located as to be just inwardly of the fastener 18 when the card is inserted all ythe way into the pocket, and the handle portion 15 of the card can therefore be readily torn off while gripping the inserted portion of the card through the pocket walls 6 and 8.

From the foregoing description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides an identication band which can be formed into a bracelet to encircle the limb of a hospitalized person or the like, and which band features a pocket to accommodate an identification card, and fastening means for joining the opposite ends of the band together in a simple but most secure manner, entirely without the aid of tools, and by which fastening means the identification card is held in its pocket without Adanger of displacement; and it will also be apparent that the identification band of this invention has no loose or dangling ends or parts which will tempt a nervous or excitable patient to attempt to unfasten it or tear it apart.

What is claimed as my invention is:

ll. An identification device comprising: a band of ilexible material; means on one end portion of the band deining an elongated pocket having its mouth near the adjacent extremity of the band and having opposing Walls, one of which is formed integrally with the band and the other of which is of flexible transparent material and has all of its edges bonded to said first designated wall, the mouth of the pocket being defined by an elongated aperture with rounded' ends which extends transversely across said transparent wall near said extremity of the band, the length of said aperture being sufficient to admita card into the pocket to be visible through said transparent wall and to receive the opposite end portion of the band,

, said wall of the pocket which is integral with the band having a width greater than said transparent wall and element of the fastener. Suclt alignment ofthe proper hole 17 with the button Vis facilitated by reason of the. fact that theapertured .end of the band can be observed through the hole 21 inthe female element 20 of the snap fastener. When the desired hole 17 is properly aligned with the Vbutton 22, ,the person applying the band merely exerts finger lpressure on thecooperating elements of the fastener to project the button 22 through Vthe selectedY aperture in the bandand into the hole 21 inthe female element of the fastener, as seen in Figure 4.

,It will beappreciated ,that once. the ends of the 4band have been secured in place forming a bracelet encircling the limb of a hospitalizedperson, those portions ofthe snap fastener-which are exposed 1on1 the outside of the Abeing held by its bonded joint therewith'in an outward transversely bowed condition so that the pocket is adapted to receive a substantial length of the opposite end portion ofthe band; and means for Vclosing the mouth of the pocket so as to preclude displacement of a card from the p oeket and for securing the opposite end portion of the band to both of said walls of the pocket with a length of said opposite end portion of the band in the pocket, said means comprising a snap fastener having cooperating male and female elements secured to said walls of the pocket adjacent to said aperture and at the side thereof remote from the adjacent end of the band, and longitudinally spaced apertures in said opposite end portion of the'band, each of a size to receive the male member of the snap fastener, and through any one of which the male member may be projected when the fastener is closed to from the band into a bracelet.

2. An identification device ofl thc type' comprising a band of flexible material having at one end thereof an cooperating with a portion of the band, in which pocket the other end portion of the band may be received, said identification device being characterized by the fact that: said transparent wall member is bonded, around all edges thereof, to a portion of the band adjacent to said one end thereof to cooperate with said portion of ythe band in delining said pocket; further characterized by the fact that said transparent Wall member has a single elongated aperture with rounded ends, that extends continuously transversely :across the transparent wall member, near to but spaced from the end of the pocket at said end of the band, and provides the mouth of the pocket, through which an identification card may be inserted into the pocket and through which said other end portion of the band may be inserted into the pocket; and further characterized by means for closing the mouth of the pocket to confine a card therein land for securing said other end portion of the band to the Walls of the pocket, said means comprising a snap fastener having cooperating male and female elements secured to said Walls of thev pocket adjacent lto vsaid aperture and at the side of the aperture remote from `said one end of the band, and longitudinally spaced apertures -in said other end portion of the band, each of a size to receive the male member of the snap fastener, and through any yone of which the male member may be projected when the fastener is closed.

3. An identification device compris-ing: a band of ilexible material; means on one end portion of the band defining yan elongated pocket having its mouth spaced from the adjacent extremity of the band and having opposing walls, one of which is formed integrally with the band and the other of Which is transparent and is bonded around all of its edges to said lirst designated wall and has its mouth defined by a single transversely extending uninterrupted slot therein near said end of the band through which a card may be inserted to be visible through said transparent wall, and through which slot a portion of the other end of the band may be inserted into Vthe pocket; and means for preventing displacement of a card out of the pocket and for securing the opposite end portion of the band to both of said walls of the pocket, with a length of said other end portion of the band in the pocket and covering one edge of the slot, said means comprising a snap fastener having cooperating male and female elements secured to said Walls of the pocket, lengthwise inwardly of but closely adjacent to said slot, and longitudinally spaced apertures in said opposite end portion of the band, each of a size to receive the male member of the snap fastener, and through any one of which the male member may be projected when the fastener is closed, said fastener, When closed, cooperatingv with that portion of said other end of the band that covers one edge of the slot to prevent access to the mouth of the pocket to Ithereby assure against unauthorized opening of the fastener by `a person wearing the identification device.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,824,199 Donohoey Sept. 22, 1931 1,976,261 Kinkead Oct. 9, 1934 2,641,074 Richmond June 9, 1953 2,655,747 Duskin Oct. 20, 1953 2,811,797 Teetor Nov. 5, 1957 

